Millions of people around the world enjoy the game of golf. In the U.S., the game is enjoyed by 25 million Americans who annually play over 450 million rounds at more than 15,000 facilities. It is a nearly $70 billion industry, supporting two million jobs and $55.6 billion in annual wage income.
Despite this success, there are many in the industry who are concerned about the future of the golf industry, pointing to an estimated 20% reduction in overall participation over the past decade or so, particularly among younger players. Some attribute the reduction to the length of time that it takes to play a round of golf, the cost of playing, and the difficulty of playing.
In response, the industry is experimenting with adding 3- and 6-hole options to the 9- and 18-hole options, and allowing non-traditional games, such as “hack golf” which replaces the traditional 4.25-inch-diameter hole with a 15-inch-diameter one, and “foot golf” which uses a 21-inch-diameter hole and replaces golf balls and clubs with soccer balls and kicking players. There are also some reports of creating alternative rules to make the traditional game more enjoyable for recreational players.
Even with all this, the present inventor has recognized that there is still the problem of difficulty, specifically the problem of becoming proficient at hitting a golf ball with a golf club with consistent accuracy, an activity widely regarded as one of the most challenging in all of sport. Moreover, the difficulty is most visible when teeing off at each hole, that is, hitting the ball off a tee in full view of your competing players, exposing players, particularly beginner players, to considerable risk of embarrassment and/or frustration from mishit balls. Although technology improvements to golf balls and golf clubs have made it easier for some players to hit longer and somewhat straighter, the continued decline in participation show that these improvements have not been enough to reverse current trends.
Accordingly, the present inventor has identified an unmet need to make golf easier to play.